Kays Translations

Chapter 453: I’ve Reached My Limit

“Brother Alex, Sister-in-law Daniela… I’m home. I’m relieved to see Rosalia looking well. Sir Edward also seems to have been keeping her company.”

“I’m glad you returned safely. We received a letter from Marquis Mulan, so we know the broad outline of what happened. Even so… something might have occurred on the journey home.”

So he had expected something to happen on our way back? What did he take me for? Feeling slightly offended, I noticed that even Sister-in-law Daniela was smiling wryly. To think she saw me that way too—how unfair.

“Brother Julius, you’re late!”

Rosalia pouted while cradling Mira in her arms. Since when had she picked Mira up? I had warned her that we might be late, but I apologised anyway. There was no sense upsetting her now. I needed to keep her in a good mood.

“I’m simply glad everyone returned safely. Come, let’s go to the salon. I would love to hear about your journey.”

Sister-in-law Daniela was already acting like the lady of House Heine. With a calm, gentle smile, she took charge of everyone. She had probably been looking after Rosalia as well.

On the way to the salon, I drew alongside Edward.

“What exactly happened while I was away?”

“Ah, um, it has to do with magic-tool crafting…”

“Hm?”

Edward was certainly interested in making magic tools. Was that why he had been invited here? Even so, he looked a little too comfortable for a mere guest. Rosalia did not seem to mind, so I supposed it was fine.

Once we were seated in the salon, I gave a fuller account of what had happened in the eastern region. Naturally, I had not been able to explain everything in a letter; I had mentioned only the most important events.

“What is the new starry-sky magic tool like?”

“It projects a moving night sky. I’ll give you the schematics, so why not try making it with Sir Edward?”

“I will!”

Good. That meant I would not have to make it myself. In the meantime, I wanted to work on a full recovery potion.

Apparently, Rosalia had been dispirited for a while after we left the Heine estate. To cheer her up, the family invited Edward, who shared her interest in magic tools.

The plan had worked. Edward was amazed by Rosalia’s skill and praised her, and Rosalia—far from displeased—began teaching him. Now in a master-and-pupil relationship, the two enthusiastically worked together on magic tools.

Father and Mother must have been at their wits’ end. They had probably expected Rosalia’s obsession with magic tools to settle down, not intensify. By now, they may have resigned themselves to it entirely.

Given the circumstances, Edward and Rosalia becoming close was not necessarily a bad thing. As her brother, however, my feelings were complicated. Having one of my friends become my brother-in-law…

“Fabienne, I’ll have you taken home. Baron and Baroness Ambert must be worried.”

“Please do. Um… would you like to stay the night?”

“Ah… perhaps next time. I think I should spend tonight with my family.”

I considered taking her home on Mira’s back, but Rosalia was unlikely to release Mira for some time. I asked Nero to prepare a carriage and sent Fabienne back to the Ambert residence. Baron and Baroness Ambert also invited me to stay, but I politely declined.

Fabienne and I had slept in the same room throughout our stay at the House Mulan estate. Things might soon get out of hand. A cooling-off period was necessary.

“Was that truly the right decision, Julius-sama?”

“It’s better this way. Nero, perhaps you didn’t notice, but sometimes, when she’s half asleep, Fabienne climbs into my bed. I always carry her back to her own, but I’m reaching my limit.”

“Do you think Fabienne-sama might have been doing that deliberately?”

No way… Could that be true? She had certainly looked asleep, but she might have been pretending. I had been too flustered to notice. How careless of me.

Even if that were true, I could not take advantage of her. I wanted to believe I had done the right thing.

After returning to the mansion, I went straight to the compounding room. It was as clean and orderly as when I had left the Heine estate; someone had maintained it carefully. I started the equipment with practised ease.

“Julius-sama, what are you planning to make?”

“Now that I have materials from the World Tree, I want to make a full recovery potion while they’re still fresh.”

“A full recovery potion!? I thought you said you didn’t know how to make a potion with World Tree materials yet.”

“Oh, that? I lied.”

Nero pressed his lips into a tight line, plainly exasperated by how casually I admitted it. Still, if I had revealed the truth back then, who knew what might have happened? The excuse that I had learned everything from Grandmother’s book would only carry me so far.

“Wait… did you turn down Fabienne-sama’s invitation because you wanted to make the potion?”

“No, I really was afraid things might get out of hand. If I’d stayed, I probably would have ended up in her room—and in the same bed.”

“…Yes, that does sound entirely plausible.”

He understood. Nero stared into the distance. If only Fabienne knew a little more about relationships between men and women. She seemed rather innocent in that respect.

She read plenty of books, but apparently none of them were steamy romances. I wondered whether someone could recommend one to her. Perhaps I should ask Sister-in-law Daniela? Then again…

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